Space suit backpack using solid adsorbents for cryogenic oxygen storage, freezeout of carbon dioxide and moisture, and ice heat sink

A portable life support system for use during extra vehicular activities in space, said portable life support system providing pneumatic pressure to a spacesuit, metabolic oxygen for consumption by an astronaut, coolant for regulating spacesuit temperature, and carbon dioxide and moisture removal from an astronaut exhaust, comprising:

• a primary oxygen supply in thermal communication with said astronaut exhaust, said primary oxygen supply having a primary adsorbent bed made of a molecular sieve that adsorbs oxygen at cryogenic temperatures and desorbs oxygen when heated, wherein said primary oxygen supply freezes said carbon dioxide and moisture by said thermal communication;
• an emergency oxygen supply in communication with said ventilation loop;
• a removable wire mesh operatively adjacent to said primary oxygen supply, said wire mesh contains frozen carbon dioxide and moisture and is in oxygen communication with said primary oxygen supply;
• a first ice chest downstream of said primary oxygen supply, said first ice chest conditions said oxygen desorbed from said primary adsorbent bed;
• a liquid cooled garment associated with said spacesuit, said garment being in thermal communication with said first ice chest;
• a ventilation loop for receiving and delivering said astronaut exhaust to said primary oxygen supply, said ventilation loop also delivering said primary oxygen supply from said first ice chest to said spacesuit, whereby said pneumatic pressure is supplied to said spacesuit and metabolic oxygen is supplied to said astronaut;
• and
• a coolant loop in communication with said liquid cooled garment and first ice chest, said coolant loop regulates said spacesuit temperature.

A portable life support system that provides pneumatic pressure to a suit, metabolic oxygen for consumption by a user of said suit, coolant for regulating suit temperature, and collection of carbon dioxide and moisture contained in a recirculated ventilation flow from said user, comprising:

• a primary oxygen supply in thermal and gas communication with said recirculated ventilation flow, said primary oxygen supply having a solid adsorbent bed made of a molecular sieve that adsorbs oxygen at cryogenic temperatures and desorbs oxygen when heated, wherein said primary oxygen supply freezes said carbon dioxide and moisture;
• a removable and replaceable cone-shaped wire mesh disposed between and adjacent to tapered walls of said primary oxygen supply, said wire mesh receives heat of conduction from said primary oxygen supply to freeze said carbon dioxide and moisture contained within said wire mesh;
• a first ice chest downstream of said primary oxygen supply, said first ice chest adjusts temperature and dew point of said exhaust flow;
• a second ice chest upstream of said first ice chest;
• a liquid cooled garment associated with said suit, said garment being in thermal communication with said first ice chest;
• a ventilation loop for receiving and delivering said recirculated ventilation flow to said wire mesh, said ventilation loop also delivering said recirculated ventilation flow from said wire mesh to said first ice chest, said ventilation loop also delivering said recirculated ventilation flow from said first ice chest to said suit, whereby said pneumatic pressure is supplied to said suit and said metabolic oxygen is supplied to said user;
• an emergency oxygen supply in communication with said ventilation loop and said primary oxygen supply, said emergency oxygen supply having a solid adsorbent bed and an electrical heater incorporated into said solid adsorbent bed of said emergency oxygen supply for desorbing said emergency oxygen supply, said electrical heater activating upon a received signal indicating low suit pressure;
• and
• a coolant loop in communication with said liquid cooled garment and said first ice chest, said coolant loop having a first circuitous network associated with said liquid cooled garment and a second circuitous network associated with said first ice chest, said coolant loop regulates said suit temperature.